The next few days pass quickly.

Andromeda finds herself caught up in a flurry of educating Rin, answering questions about her life and the future, playing her instruments, and acting as mediator between Jaken and the bubbly child that never seems upset over the imp's jabs. Sesshomaru spends most of the time sitting against his tree watching them or disappears off into the trees to do who knows what. Andromeda doubts he's going off in search of a hot spring to soak in, it's much more likely that Sesshomaru is off slaughtering lesser demons or checking on the progress of his sword. Andromeda doesn't mind, of course, she's content to play with Rin and wait. The evenings are when things get a bit odd though.

Sesshomaru isn't much of a talker. He's the strong, silent type. Perfectly fine with not saying anything as he guards their little group from whatever dangers are lurking in the swamp around them. But sometimes - especially when Andromeda begins telling stories about the places she's been and the people she's met along the way - Sesshomaru will engage a bit more. Not much, but enough to tell Andromeda that he's interested in what she has to say. Andromeda wonders if it's because he hasn't traveled any further than the mainland for whatever demon summit he goes to every few years. It must be terribly confining. So Andromeda answers his questions with ease and dredges up more stories from the recesses of her memory as the days pass.

She doesn't tell them about her birth.

Doesn't tell them about the warm, golden place she'd first gained consciousness in, nor the never ending vastness of space that raised her.

Those memories are hers.

Those memories are private.

Besides, she has far more amusing stories to tell Rin and Sesshomaru. Ones full of adventure and daring and laughter. Who wants to hear about star formation and the little, twinkling voices that soon began whispering in her mind as more of the cosmos formed around her. No one. No child anyway. And certainly not a demon lord who would likely try to lop her head off for the fun of it... not that she thinks he would. Necessarily. Sesshomaru hasn't shown Andromeda anything but grudging acceptance since she joined his little pack, there's certainly never been a consistent show of aggression toward her.

Andromeda sighs as she adjusts the collar of her shirt and steps back into the clearing.

Jaken is absent, Sesshomaru keeping a close eye on Rin as she flits around the clearing entertaining herself.

"Where's Jaken?" Andromeda asks as she sits down next to her pack.

"This Sesshomaru sent him to check on the progress of the sword." The demon Lord tells her.

"Is that a good idea? No offense... but Kaijinbo isn't the most savory character."

"Jaken will be fine."

Andromeda shrugs and leans back against the tree behind her.

Hours pass and Jaken doesn't appear in the clearing with news of the sword nor the object in question. Never really having cared for the aggressive little demon, Andromeda doesn't think much of it. He'll come around eventually. She seriously doubts he'd just up and leave Sesshomaru. And from the looks the demon Lord is casting into the trees it's obvious the smaller demon should have been back hours ago... but it isn't until Rin says anything about Jaken being missing that Sesshomaru rises, tells Andromeda to watch the camp, and disappears off in the direction of Kaijinbo's home. Andromeda smiles at Rin when the little girl wanders over, gently stroking hair out of her face.

"They'll be alright."

Rin smiles, a soft, tender sort of thing, but there's a distinct worry in her dark eyes. In an attempt to distract her - and keep her busy - Andromeda pulls out her violin and sets Rin up so the two of them can run through what she's learned. Rin, though obviously distracted, does fairly well for a beginner. Andromeda thinks with enough time and practice she'll be a phenomenal violinist. The next time she goes through the well for a supply run she'll leave the violin with A-un, everything else can go back. Where the likelihood of Andromeda losing or breaking anything is drastically lower. With a wide smile Andromeda adjusts Rin's fingers on the strings so she gets a better feel for them.

The sun begins to set with a smear of pretty oranges that bleed into deep navy. Andromeda starts a fire, feeds it with tinder and the firewood Jaken had been sent to gather earlier that morning. The violin gets put away soon after, Andromeda not seeing the point of teaching by such dim lighting when Rin isn't familiar enough with the strings. Andromeda is packing away the case in A-Un's packs when the feeling of being watched creeps down Andromeda's spine. Slowly, carefully, so as not to frighten Rin or let their stalker know she's onto them, Andromeda scans the perimeter of their clearing and then casts a glance toward the sky. Nothing. But there is someone watching them.

Silver fabric dances at the corner of Andromeda's vision.

She takes two steps closer to Rin to put herself directly between the little girl and whoever's lurking in the trees and then she springs forward, launching herself at their maybe attacker. There isn't time for the other to get away. They try and they're certainly fast, but Andromeda has the element of surprise and the desire to keep Rin safe. Andromeda manages to snag the other by their wrist and whip them around to she can press them against the thick trunk of a nearby tree. She curls her fingers tight around the other's neck, smiling savagely at the way maroon eyes widen.

"Who are you?" Andromeda demands, pressure tightening just enough to show her threat.

Someone approaches her from behind. Andromeda figures it's Sesshomaru as another opponent would have gone for her back while it was turned. When he's close enough Andromeda shoots him a look but she never takes her hands off of the one pressed to the tree.

"You've a scent this one remembers," Sesshomaru says, voice a low rumbling growl, "the same scent as the one who tried to trap this Sesshomaru, the beast Naraku."

Beneath her fingers the woman hums, her compliance stiff and carefully constructed as she says, "Hmm... so you're Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older brother? Pretty smart." when he doesn't say anything in response she continues, "I'm Kagura, the Wind Sorceress. Just another incarnation of Naraku."

"Incarnation?" Sesshomaru repeats.

"Yes," the woman smiles, "and the fangs you gave to Kaijinbo to make the sword were those of a demon named Goshinki. Like me, he too was created out of Naraku."

"Why do you think we care?" Andromeda asks, fingers burning against the other woman's throat.

A threat.

A warning.

A promise.

"Did you come just to tell this Sesshomaru that?" Sesshomaru demands, sounding entirely annoyed.

"Don't you smell it?" Kagura asks, her fan opening at her side, "The sword which reeks with the aura from Goshinki? Tokijin is so close."

Andromeda's body is buffeted by the sudden onslaught of fierce wind, it pulls at her hair and her clothes and tries to sweep her off her feet. Wind Sorceress. Andromeda grits her teeth and slips backwards so as not to get caught up in whatever trick the demoness is attempting to pull. Sesshomaru casts her a glance when she stops beside him but says nothing as they watch the woman disappear on a feater-boat. Which is super cool.

"Want to tell me what you know that I clearly don't?" Andromeda asks.

"This One believes he knows where Kaijinbo is."

"Oh-kaaaayyy. You gonna share with the class or am I just supposed to start guessing?"

Sesshomaru turns to her, eyes blazing bright against the darkness around them. Thankfully, he seems more amused than angry with her. Which Andromeda appreciates as she doesn't want to be on the man's bad-side anymore than she already has been in the past.

"It's common for a demon's fangs to retain memories. While they wouldn't hold the consciousness of the demon, they would be able to hold memories. Impressions. This Sesshomaru believes that Kaijinbo has been possessed by the sword."

Andromeda frowns.

Hadn't Inuyasha killed that demon?

She presses close.

"You better hope that if Kaijinbo is going after Inuyasha, no one in that group is hurt." she smiles all teeth and malice, "because if I find you one of them got hurt - of worse, died - I'll rip your throat out."

Golden eyes narrow dangerously and Sesshomaru warns, "Be mindful of how you speak to this Sesshomaru."

"I'll speak to you however I want those are my people. How would you feel if I did something that got Rin killed?" the sharp flare of his aura has Andromeda smirking. "Exactly. I don't care about your little feud with Inuyasha, he's a big boy, he can handle himself, but the others? They're reckless, sure, I'll admit to that - but they're still mine. So you be mindful of how your actions affect me and mine."

With her piece said Andromeda moves to gather Rin up to get her ready for bed. As she brushes the little girl's hair and helps her settle into the sleeping bag she can feel Sesshomaru's eyes on her. She doesn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm, however, and soon she herself is tucked against the rooms of the tree she's been sleeping against for the past few days. Which happens to be directly across from Sesshomaru's. She gives him an unimpressed look before closing her eyes so she can feign sleep, which never comes. Because why would it when she's too busy worrying over Inuyasha and whether or not he's going to be ok? Tonight's Inuyasha's human night isn't it? or was it last night? Andromeda hasn't been paying attention to the moon phases and she can't remember off the top of her head which night of the month it is anyway. Fuck. She wishes she'd stayed with the group, wishes she'd been smart enough to remember that - despite the individual capabilities of the group members - Andromeda is the only fully grown and fully matured supernatural outside of Inuyasha.

Andromeda rolls onto her side and reminds herself that Kagura wouldn't have showed up if they'd died.

She came to cause trouble, certainly, but what would she gain from getting Sesshomaru after Inuyasha's death? Aside from the human arm incident there's no reason for Naraku to have any ill will toward Sesshomaru. Obviously there's a big reason Sesshomaru would have an issue with Naraku but... for someone playing the long game it doesn't make sense for Naraku to pull strings involving Sesshomaru because, well, he doesn't contribute anything to the hunt for the jewel shards.

By the time morning comes Andromeda hasn't slept a wink, putting her in an even fouler mood then she'd originally been in. She smiles at Rin and helps her like she normally does, makes sure she's eaten and all that, but she shoots looks at Sesshomaru as she packs up her things. Andromeda wonders if pig-headed idiocy is a genetic malfunction the two brothers share. But... that's not fair. Andromeda understands her own feels at the moment, knows why she's upset about the whole thing, and while Sesshomaru does need something of an attitude adjustment this isn't necessarily his fault alone. She frowns as she pulls her hair out of her face.

"You will stay with the others." Sesshomaru tells her as he walks by on his way to A-Un, who rumbles lowly before rising.

"Where are you going?"

"To retrieve that which belongs to this Sesshomaru."

Andromeda rushes to intercept him, hand outstretched to meet his check - which has Jaken squealing about her dirty, filthy hand touching his Lord. Andromeda ignores him in favor of staring directly into Sesshomaru's eyes.

"Remember what we talked about last night?" The heat radiating from him makes her uncomfortable, so she moves to press a finger into his sternum.

"The members of your previous pack are safe, worry not, this one's quarrel is with Inuyasha."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better."

"You doubt this one's word?" Sesshomaru asks, and dare she say he sounds vaguely offended.

"I doubt that you wouldn't hurt people who get in your way in order to hurt Inuyasha."

She walks off, back over to Rin who skips around her as she tells Jaken they're all going to have so much fun together. Andromeda tries not to frown as Sesshomaru takes off into the sky. She hopes he took her words seriously and leaves the others alone. Hopes that he goes and gets his sword and leaves without being a total dick. she knows it's a long shot but it was worth a thought wasn't it? Andromeda swallows hard and pushes all thought of Sesshomaru or the others into the dark places in her mind where they can't distract her.

Morning drags on into afternoon.

Their small group finds ways to entertain themselves ; she and Rin play games, Jaken occasionally joins them, when they get tired Andromeda tells Rin stories about the world, they do lessons, and then Andromeda puts together lunch. It's a good morning all things aside. At some point Rin asks if she can play with Andromeda's hair, and unable to deny Rin such a simple request, Andromeda settles in front of Rin's standing form and allows her to do as she pleases. Rin takes Andromeda's brush through her hair a few times until the tangles are worked out, then she begins attempting to braid and twist it into various up dos. None of them really work. Some of them make a bigger mess of Andromeda's hair than not. When that happens Andromeda has to carefully untangle her hair and explain why the style didn't work to Rin. Eventually Jaken joins them, offering bits of advice and tips that actually work. Which... you know... Andromeda wasn't expecting because Jaken has zero hair on his head.

She doesn't say anything though as that would be... rude, wouldn't it? Andromeda thinks it would be rude.

Eventually the two grow bored of playing with her hair - thank God - and Rin convinces the grouchy little imp to play a game of make believe with her. Andromeda keeps an eye on them for a while to make sure neither of them get into trouble, but the longer they spend in the clearing waiting for Sesshomaru the more annoyed Andromeda gets and the harder it is for her to concentrate on them. Needing something to do other than stew. Andromeda slips into her thoughts, avoids thinking of the friends she left behind when she went after Sesshomaru, and instead focuses on the steady thrum at the back of her mind. It feels like home. It feels like Iphigenia and millions of gleaming stars and silk between her fingers and Rin's laughter and a manse by the sea where she lived for a time. The longer she basks in that feeling of warmth, the better she begins to feel. It isn't a fix, not really, but when Rin's shouting pulls Andromeda out of her thoughts she feels less frayed at the seems. The game their playing looks like some variation of tag mixed with a bit of fantastical story telling. Somehow Rin has managed to convince Jaken to play the evil monster while Rin plays the strange role of disjointed hero. Her performance is a bit strange. Andromeda can't really tell if she's trying to be a version of Sesshomaru or if she's acting out things she's seen played by other children. It's not anything bad. Andromeda just can't see Rin being the extravagant hero hellbent on destroying all darkness in the world... not yet anyway. She's so young, so kind, the world hasn't completely crushed her with it's cruelty yet.

Time passes.

It's growing dark by the time Sesshomaru returns, looking less than victorious and toting a new sword with a crimson grip that contrasts splendidly with its golden pommel. Rin trots over to ask about his well being and whether or not he'd like to hear about her day. She's quick to fall into a lengthy explanation of everything the three of them have done today - which Sesshomaru listens to without a shred of disinterest. He really is good with children. Fucking weird to her that he's such a prick to everyone else. When Rin runs out of things to say Sesshomaru orders Jaken to hand out the dried meat tucked away in A-Un's saddle bag, which he does without question. Soon Andromeda is gnawing on dried vension and watching as Rin and Jaken argue over the little fire the demon is trying to make. Rin suggests he should put more wood on before he lights it. Jaken tells her to mind her business.

Andromeda says nothing.

Opting instead to stare at Sesshomaru in the hopes that he'll either tell her what happened or she figure out what went down on her own.

Because something clearly happened.

Sesshomaru wouldn't look like something sour exploded in his mouth if something hadn't happened. Andromeda waits to ask about it though. Waits and waits until the moon is high in the sky and the fire is dying and the other two members of their group who can talk are sleeping peacefully against nearby trees. Then, without a second thought, Andromeda rises and makes her way over to where Sesshomaru is sitting with near-silent steps. He eyes her as she settles beside him but doesn't tell her to leave.

"You got your sword." Andromeda says, an ease in to a conversation that is likely to be very, very bad.

"Hn."

"So what happened then? Clearly you're not hurt and you've gotten your sword..."

Sesshomaru is silent. Eyes burning bright in the dim light of the fire. Burning gold against an ebony backdrop.

Andromeda pinches her nose and says, "Look, I'm not trying to be annoying about this but something clearly happened and if it has to do with Kagome getting hurt-" "-This Sesshomaru understands why his father left Inuyasha the Tetsusaiga."

"Oh?"

Silence for a moment.

Andromeda doesn't push.

"Without the sword... Inuyasha is prey to his demon blood."

"What does that mean?"

"It means his human blood is weak. He's unable to control his demonic energy in the face of danger."

"How do you know that?"

He looks at her and Andromeda thinks he looks very... open.

This is probably the least closed off and aggressive she's ever really seen Sesshomaru. Andromeda finds herself wondering if what happened today actually shook him, struck him in some way that he's never been struck before... and suddenly she's glad not to have been there. Andromeda doesn't... she can't... It's hard to think that Inuyasha could become so dangerous or so unlike himself that it would make Sesshomaru of all people open up about the experience.

"This One managed to disarm Inuyasha and when the winning blow was to be delivered Inuyasha's scent changed," Sesshomaru pauses, glances away, "He reminded this Sesshomaru of our father in some of his worst moments."

"Sesshomaru, I don't know what that means... would you elaborate, please?"

"Occasionally Daiyōkai will fall to their instincts. It doesn't happen often, and only in the worst of circumstances. When this happens it's possible for the demon in question to loose all sense of conscious thought... it is a dangerous state of mind to be in as one's allies are unlikely to be perceived as such."

"Are Kagome and the others alright?"

An incline of the head is her only confirmation.

Relieved, Andromeda turns back to the original thread of conversation.

"You think the Tetsusaiga is protecting him from this?" Andromeda asks.

"This Sesshomaru believes our father gave Inuyasha the sword to both protect him and seal his demonic energy." Sesshomaru explains.

There's a tension in his frame that Andromeda can't place. Surely he isn't made that his father gave Inuyasha the sword if it's designed to protect him and others around him. The way he'd explained the situation tells Andromeda he understands the full gravity of the situation. So why is he still mad? Is it lingering resentment toward their father? Anger that Inuyasha hadn't been given a more reliable way to protect himself? Andromeda can't believe he doesn't hold some sort of regard for Inuyasha. Even if the only thing keeping him from outright killing the younger brother is the fact that they share blood. So what is it then? And then it hits her. Fear. Sesshomaru had been afraid. He'd been unaware of the reason Inuyasha had been given the sword and today had lead to some startling realizations for him. Without thinking Andromeda reaches across the space and curls her fingers around his own.

"I'm sorry," she tells him and it feels weird because she has nothing to apologize for but she thinks Sesshomaru needs to hear it, "you should have been told the reasons Inuyasha was given the Tetsusaiga. Someone would have known and they should have told you. It wasn't fair for you to be kept in the dark about it."

"It's neither here nor there."

"That's a lie and we both know it. If what you're saying is true then Inuyasha is dangerous without that sword, or without something to tether him, and it was a dick move that the two of you were pitted against each other like that." Andromeda begins running her thumb over Sesshomaru's knuckles, "I'm not saying the two of you had to be friends, that's not my place, but I think that it would've given you some closure if you'd known... which you deserved, considering."

Wind rustles the branches above their heads, possibly attempting to drown out the wheezing of Jaken's snores. Andromeda shifts to press herself against Sesshomaru's tree. He doesn't try to shove her away or get rid of her despite look he keeps throwing her. Andromeda leans her head against rough bark, smiling softly at the pretty demon across from her. It's a shame, really, the way he'd been pitted against Inuyasha. They might not have been friends had he known what was going on but at least his interactions with Inuyasha might have been less lethal. It would've saved him a lot of trouble. It might have even made their meeting more pleasant compared to what it had been.

"So what's the plan now?" She wonders.

"This Sesshomaru will continue searching for Naraku."

"And the Tetsusaiga?"

"Is worthless to this one at the moment."

"Huh... you're a lot more reasonable than I gave you credit for." Andromeda finds herself smiling, "You know, you and I might end up being pretty good friends now that I know you aren't a complete crazy person."

the silver haired demon scoffs, turns away, stares at the fire.

Silence for another moment.

Andromeda turns to look at the little strip of sky she can see through the tree leaves and finds herself smiling.

"I didn't have any siblings. Didn't really have parents either." she isn't sure why she's saying it, maybe it's the vulnerability Sesshomaru has been offering her, maybe it's her bleeding heart, whatever the cause Andromeda finds herself pouring out words without any form of restraint. "When I was introduced to that kind of companionship... it made me jealous. I'd spent my entire childhood drifting in and out of empty space, learning about the universe on my own and, I guess, just learning to live. I was lonely, and I didn't even realize it until I learned what it was to have companionship."

"Hn."

"Sob story, I know, not exactly the most riveting... Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is that having people in your corner that you can be open with and trust to have your back isn't a bad thing. Since your relationship with Inuyasha won't allow for that kind of thing and Jaken's... Jaken. I just want you to know that I might think you're a royal prick from time-to-time but you're my person too. Just like Kagome and the others."

"Are you going to threaten bodily harm on those who threaten this Sesshomaru and his pack as well?"

"Oh yeah, without a doubt" Andromeda yawns, "Maximum effort sort of thing."

"Why?"

"Because you're my friend and Rin's..." she almost akins her to Iphegenia as the daughter-of-her-heart but stops short and opts for something safer, "well, she's just a kid."

"Strange woman."

"Clearly you need to broaden your circles if you think the bare minimum requirement of loyalty is a strange behavior."

"Hn." Sesshomaru goes still and soft beside her.

The conversation is over. Andromeda can tell just by the demon Lord's body language and the way his tone doesn't offer anything to the conversation. That's fine. Andromeda isn't going to push. Why would she? What would she achieve by doing so? Sesshomaru didn't hurt Kagome or the others, their safe, Inuyasha has some issues they'll have to work out clearly, and the little heart-to-heart they've had is probably as open as Sesshomaru's been with another person in... Fuck... probably ever. He just doesn't seem the type to open up about things. Andromeda thinks the only reason he opened up about the situation with Inuyasha is because he was legitimately troubled by it. The foundations of his belief system have shaken a bit, leaving him on slightly less steady footing than he would have had otherwise. Andromeda gets that. It's totally reasonable.

"Hey," She says, a sudden thought striking her, "Since you've got your sword and Inuyasha's, well, you know... would it be ok if we make a quick detour? I need to run back home to get some things and touch base with some people."

Kagome and Iphigenia to be precise.

They need to have a talk about what's going on.

"It'll take like a day, max."

Golden eyes stare unblinkingly through the darkness.

"Very well."

Smiling, Andromeda twists away so she's pressed against the tree and not so close to Sesshomaru. She should honestly go back to her side of the clearing, it would be the reasonable thing to do, would definitely cause less problems with Jaken when he wakes up. But it's such a far walk and Andromeda's tired. If Jaken says anything she'll just say she and Sesshomaru were discussing ancient Greek politics or something of that ilk. Jaken never pays much attention when she talks about Greece. It's unlikely he'll push the subject.

So she sleeps curled against the tree, far enough away from Sesshomaru to deemed appropriate by conventional standards but probably too close for his liking. He doesn't kill her, though, so that's obviously a plus. It's probably the best night sleep she's gotten since Sesshomaru decided to seek out Kaijinbo. With the sword forged, Sesshomaru happy with it's power, and the stress of Sesshomaru's inevitable meeting with Inuyasha having taken it's toll on her mental health... well, it makes for a nice night full of dreamless sleep. The kind where people wake up the next morning confused as to were they are and covered in pillow wrinkles. Dead sleep. Andromeda welcomes it. And the next morning when she wakes Sesshomaru is already up and ordering Jaken to prepare A-Un for departure - that's what wakes Andromeda up, the smaller demon's incessant babbling - and there's a weight pressed against her legs that reveals itself to be the sleeping form of Rin. Andromeda isn't entirely sure how she moved across the clearing but she has a few ideas. None of which she's entirely willing to bring up to the stoic demon.

Rin is quickly woken and dressed with promises of being able to sleep during the trip if she needs it. She doesn't, of course, the wonders of youth working it's magic on Rin's sleep addled brain in a matter of seconds. Andromeda's honestly very jealous.

Eventually Sesshomaru rounds them up, instructing Jaken and Rin to mount A-Un while directing Andromeda closer.

"Inuyasha's village, I presume." He says quietly to her, not so much secretive as Andromeda thinks to preserve the tranquility of the clearing.

"Yes, the Bone Eater's Well."

The look she gets is intense.

She just smiles as if nothing's the matter.

Never once has Andromeda lied about where she's come from or how she got to this time period. While it hasn't been something they've talked about in great depth she's been incredibly open about the educational standards of her time when it comes to Rin's educational betterment. Sesshomaru has even gone through the few books she'd offered up, scanning it from cover to cover with a critical eye, and she'd explained what happened that first time she was pulled through the well. She doesn't see why this would be an issue for him unless he's worried about Rin being so close to the well which is... reasonable.

Something blooms beneath her feet, soft and warm against the skin it manages to brush against as it slips beneath the hem of her pant legs. When Andromeda looks down she finds herself standing on a swirling mass of blue-silver smoke. It's vaguely cloud like. Andromeda swallows as they begin lifting up into the air, spinning slightly until they're facing the direction of what must be Kaede's village. Andromeda doesn't question why this is something Sesshomaru is just unquestioningly aware of. Seems like something she'd forget if she'd only been there two times at the most but... well, Sesshomaru is a Lord and it's likely Kaede's village falls under his territory - or close enough it it anyway - so it would make sense for him to know where the village is whether Inuyasha had begun making it his home or not. Andromeda wobbles a bit as Sesshomaru shoots forward. If Andromeda were forced to guess she would say he'd done it on purpose.

All in all the return trip to the Bone Eater's well is relatively without incident.

There's one moment where a brief squabble between Rin and Jaken breaks out but it's silenced quickly and the rest of the trip proceeds without incident.

When they finally begin their decent Andromeda figures it must be around mid morning and the run is painting everything in gem tones that look unreal. She smiles as she hopes off of Sesshomaru's cloud, twisting so she can look at him.

"A day tops." She promises, inching closer to the well.

"This Sesshomaru will remember." He says boredly.

Andromeda nods once before pivoting and tossing herself over the lip of the well.

There's a moment where nothing happens, Andromeda almost thinks the well won't let her through, but then the wooden walls of the well bleed into cosmos; stars and unending jumbles of colors. Andromeda smiles, allows herself to free fall for a moment, then her feet hit solid ground in a well significantly darker and cooler than the one she'd just faced.

Andromeda scales the ladder Mrs. Higurashi put in for her and Kagome, taking the runs two at a time and scrambling over the lip and out of the shed. She pounds across the courtyard, down the steps, past the Goshinboku, and down the street toward her house. She knows Iphigenia won't be home so there's really no point in rushing but... it'll be really nice to take a proper shower and get everything repacked so that when the other woman does come home there's one less thing to worry about. She also needs to write up a note for Kagome explaining the situation so that when the other girl inevitably comes home she'll see it. Because it's unlikely their paths are going to cross in the next handful of days - and if they do Andromeda doesn't see it being a peaceful visit what with Sesshomaru and Inuyasha being literal children.

When she reaches the house a quick look around confirms that she's the only one home, so Andromeda tosses her bag into her bedroom before heading to the kitchen to make a proper snack for herself and a list of all the items she'll need while traveling with Sesshomaru. Clothes are an obvious must, along with toiletries. Andromeda figures that with her powers they won't need a first-aid kit taking up space but definitely things for Rin to entertain herself with. Books and writing utensils as well, probably, for Rin when they're doing lessons. Andromeda puts a question mark by that one. Because what all should she teach Rin? Maths and sciences obviously, reading and writing is a must, but what about history? Andromeda figures it wouldn't hurt to bring a history book with her but what would that do in the long run? Rin is mortal but Sesshomaru and Jaken aren't...which leads to the question of what happened to the demons in this era?

Are they still around?

Hiding?

Andromeda doubts they'd been chased off by humans.

It's something to discuss with Kagome if for no other reason than for the two of them to be on the same page when it comes to how they proceed with that little tidbit of information. Because if the demons die that means Shippo and Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are all going to disappear, snuffed out by the unstoppable trudging of evolving technology and the pompous nature of humanity.

Biting her lip, Andromeda finishes off her list and her food.

It's still early enough that Andromeda can take things slow, maybe even head into town and get some things for her travels if Iphigenia hasn't already thought ahead and done so. But first, a shower. She also needs to wash clothes. Andromeda rubs the grit out of her eyes as she makes her way to the bedroom to gather up some clean clothes and her toiletry bag before slipping into the bathroom. She takes her time cleaning up, there's no rush after all and Andromeda doesn't see why she needs to hop in and out with the same speed she tends to when in the past - less people are likely to catch her unaware here - and when she finally feels clean Andromeda begins filling up her toiletry bottles. Shampoo in the red capped one, conditioner in the blue, and body wash in the green. After the shower Andromeda dries off all the bottles and slips them back into her toiletry case alongside a new tube of toothpaste, lip-balm, and lotion. With the bag filled Andromeda mentally check it off the list and changes into her clothes.

The house is still quiet as she makes her way to the bedroom.

From there it's a simple matter of sorting out clothes for laundering, pulling out the first aid kid and all the other loose bits floating around in her bag, and sorting through her books. It's not hard to sort through everything, honestly, it's actually pretty simple. But getting everything packed so that it all fits? Harder. Andromeda groans softly as she struggles with the zipper for a while before opting to empty out the bag a bit more. It's a balancing act, really.

Eventually Andromeda, satisfied with her work, sets the now closed bag at the end of the bed and smiles.

"All in a day's work." She tells herself, her voice almost too loud in the nearly silent house.